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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 005112 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 11/05/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
(1) Ozawa starts again cycle of "destruction" and "renewal" 
 
(2) Ozawa's shocking resignation -- Dogmatic approach not acceptable 
(Mainichi) 
 
(3) Overseas dispatch of SDF troops abroad: Prime minister, Ozawa 
agree to set UN resolution as condition for supporting permanent 
law: Limitation to activities could become problem (Yomiuri) 
 
(4) Questions about new refueling legislation: In interview, House 
of Representatives member Kenji Eda emphasizes the need to consider 
danger of having hand in military operations (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(5) Defense Ministry has copy of MSDF supply ship Towada's logbook 
for period it actively supplied fuel (Mainich)) 
 
(6) Poll on Fukuda cabinet, political parties, Prime Minister 
Fukuda's coalition proposal to DPJ President Ozawa, Japan's calling 
off of MSDF refueling in Indian Ocean (Asahi) 
 
(7) Poll on reading habits (Mainichi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Ozawa starts again cycle of "destruction" and "renewal" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
November 5, 2007 
 
Ichiro Ozawa announced yesterday his intention to resign as 
president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or 
Minshuto). In order to realign political parties, Ozawa in the past 
has destroyed and left parties and then created new ones. With his 
failure to bring about a grand coalition in their latest talks, 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda invited the mistrust of the ruling 
coalition, while the very foundation of the DPJ was shaken - even 
though the largest opposition party has been stepping up its 
offensive since it won big in the July House of Councillors 
election. Ozawa lost a good opportunity to establish principles to 
dispatch overseas the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) for international 
peace activities, his pet argument for ages. The Fukuda-Ozawa talks 
were that unproductive. 
 
Ozawa is regarded as a "destroyer" and is known for taking a 
strong-armed approach. He will not hesitate to do anything to 
realize his political ambitions. His typical political method was 
seen in the establishment of new political parties -- the Japan 
Renewal Party in June 1993, the New Frontier Party in December 1994, 
and the Liberal Party in January 1998 -- as well as in political 
realignments between a new party and existing parties. However, his 
hard-line stance of pushing forward with his policy measures and his 
disregard for how his action might appear to the public always made 
the situation deteriorate. 
 
The coalition government of Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, 
established in August 1993, suffered a setback because the then 
Japan Socialist Party (JSP) and other coalition members left the 
government in opposition to the idea of forming a parliamentary 
coalition party "Kaishin." As a result, the LDP, the JSP and the New 
Party Sakigake formed a coalition government. Ozawa, who then fell 
 
TOKYO 00005112  002 OF 012 
 
 
into the opposition, established the New Frontier Party (NFP), 
rallying opposition forces, except for the Japanese Communist Party. 
The NFP, however, broke up in late 1996 due to discord between Ozawa 
and Tsutomu Hata, who was a friend of Ozawa since the two belonged 
to the LDP. Ozawa then formed the Liberal party, attempting a 
comeback to the center stage of politics. 
 
The Ozawa-led Liberal Party joined the Obuchi government in January 
1999, making a compromise with Hiromu Nonaka, Ozawa's bitter enemy 
since the Takeshita faction split, but Ozawa dissolved the 
LDP-Liberal Party coalition because Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi 
turned down his proposed idea of dissolving the LDP and Liberal 
Party in order to create a new conservative party. After dissolving 
the Liberal Party, Ozawa and his followers joined the Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) in September 2003. 
 
Security policy has been his main theme in planning political 
realignment. In 1991 during his tenure as secretary general of the 
LDP, Ozawa was able to obtain cooperation from the New Komeito and 
in doing so, he gave up cooperation with the JSP, which strongly 
opposed his idea of dispatching the SDF overseas. 
 
The report compiled in February 1993 by the special research council 
on Japan's role in the international community (Ozawa research 
council) lies beneath the grand coalition concept this time around. 
 
At yesterday's press conference, Ozawa stated: "I personally 
determined that it was enough to begin discussion policies (for a 
coalition with the LDP)," since Prime Minister Fukuda agreed with 
Ozawa's stock argument that SDF dispatches should only be allowed 
under a UN resolution. Security is of course an important factor for 
national politics, but if he had his old stock argument in mind, it 
was premature to discuss a grand coalition. Since Ozawa has 
advocated political change by election, political circles are 
critical of Ozawa and his sudden announcement to step down, some 
saying, "He has started it again." 
 
(2) Ozawa's shocking resignation -- Dogmatic approach not 
acceptable 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
November 5, 2007 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) headquarters near 
the Diet building turned into a madhouse yesterday afternoon. 
 
President Ichiro Ozawa, who had told Secretary General Yukio 
Hatoyama that he would hold an emergency press conference, entered 
his office shortly before 4:00 p.m. Deputy President Naoto Kan and 
other executives immediately rushed into Ozawa's office to try to 
persuade him to stay on as party head. But Ozawa went ahead and held 
the press conference and announced his intention to step down with a 
stern look. He then got in a car and sped away without uttering a 
word to party executives or reporters. 
 
Ozawa held talks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Nov. 2, in 
which he exchanged penetrating views with the prime minister on the 
establishment of a coalition government with the Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP). The purpose was to find a breakthrough in the political 
gridlock in the divided Diet. But Ozawa consequently found himself 
in the hot seat because of that approach. Did he place too much 
confidence in his hard-driving approach? 
 
TOKYO 00005112  003 OF 012 
 
 
 
Ozawa forced the ruling coalition into the minority in the July 
House of Councillors election. Anticipating then that Prime Minister 
Shinzo Abe would resign his position, Ozawa immediately after that 
seems to have begun considering forming a grand coalition with Abe's 
successor. 
 
Excited about the party's overwhelming victory, many DPJ lawmakers 
fervently talked about strategies to drive (the prime minister) into 
Lower House dissolution for a snap general election with a view to 
taking power at one stroke. 
 
But Ozawa calmly analyzed his party's situation from the viewpoint 
of the Diet and the next election. 
 
In the press conference yesterday, Ozawa said: "Given the LDP's 
overwhelming majority in the Lower House, we will not be able to 
enact the bills we had pledged." The DPJ has presented many bills, 
including one prohibiting any use of money paid into the pension 
system for purposes other than benefit payouts. Their fates depend 
on coordination with the ruling parties. No government-sponsored 
bills have been enacted in the current extraordinary Diet session. 
 
Ozawa categorically said: "The DPJ lacks strength and is difficult 
to achieve a victory in the next Lower House election." Having 
informally endorsed only about 210 persons for a total of 300 
single-seat constituencies, the DPJ is not in a situation to aim at 
a majority, according to a DPJ-connected source. 
 
Ozawa thought that delaying Lower House dissolution by letting the 
DPJ join the ruling coalition to acquire experience in the governing 
bloc would help pave the way for a DPJ administration. 
 
He also seems to have aimed at driving the New Komeito out of the 
coalition administration. Ozawa reportedly explained to DPJ 
lawmakers that his party would join hands only with the LDP. But 
with Prime Minister Fukuda determined to keep the LDP-New Komeito 
coalition intact, there was a gap in motives between Fukuda and 
Ozawa. 
 
Although Ozawa made meticulous preparations behind the scenes for a 
grand coalition, he hardly made any effort in advance to obtain the 
party's understanding. 
 
On Nov. 1, two days after his first meeting with Fukuda, Ozawa 
declared, "I have no intention (of forming a grand coalition.)" For 
many hours over the last several days, even party executives were 
not aware of Ozawa's whereabouts. Hatoyama, for instance, visited 
his house only to find he was absent. "His bad habit of trying to 
move the political situation all by himself has come back," a DPJ 
lawmaker said. 
 
Ozawa's resignation will not change the current situation in which 
the divided Diet is unable to press ahead with any important 
policies. The Fukuda-Ozawa meetings also discussed the establishment 
of a general law (permanent law) governing the overseas dispatch of 
the Self-Defense Forces. The ruling and opposition camps are left 
with the task of exploring ways not to waste past efforts. 
 
(3) Overseas dispatch of SDF troops abroad: Prime minister, Ozawa 
agree to set UN resolution as condition for supporting permanent 
law: Limitation to activities could become problem 
 
TOKYO 00005112  004 OF 012 
 
 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 5, 2007 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) President Ozawa during a 
press conference yesterday revealed that the prime minister and he 
had agreed at the party head talks on Nov. 2 to make a UN resolution 
a condition for adopting a general law (permanent law) stipulating 
the way Self-Defense Force (SDF) personnel should be dispatched 
abroad.  If SDF troops are dispatched, based on a permanent law 
subject to a UN resolution, the scope of operations for which SDF 
troops can be dispatched would be extensively restricted, inevitably 
disrupting the nation's international contribution in a flexible 
manner. Chances are that the matter could become an issue in the 
government and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). 
 
Ozawa during the party head talks on Nov. 2 said, "I want to see the 
dispatch of SDF troops limited to operations based on UN 
resolutions." As a condition for his approving the dispatch of SDF 
troops for international peace cooperation activities, Ozawa asked 
the prime minister that the envisaged permanent law should mention 
UN resolutions as a requirement for SDF dispatches. Ozawa during a 
press conference on the 4th underscored that the prime minister 
pledged to limit the dispatch of SDF troops to activities 
established or approved by the UN. 
 
Japan has dispatched SDF personnel, by enacting a time-limited law 
each time it made various international contributions, including 
participation in peace-keeping operations based on the UN 
Peacekeeping Operations Cooperation Law. The aim of enacting a 
permanent law is to lay down requirements for SDF personnel 
dispatches and details of activities in a comprehensive manner. 
 
However, if the envisaged permanent law sets a UN resolution as a 
condition for dispatching SDF personnel, Japan would find it 
impossible to take part in activities assisting multinational 
forces, including the US-led coalition of the willing. 
 
Japan has thus far carried out refueling operations by the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to supply fuel to US and British forces in 
the Indian Ocean and humanitarian and reconstruction assistance 
activities in Iraq, by establishing special measures laws. However, 
whether such dispatches would have been possible if Japan had a 
permanent law that sets a UN resolution as a condition is delicate, 
because assistance to Iraq by various countries has a strong nature 
of being part of the US' occupation policy, rather than being 
activities based on a UN resolution. 
 
For this reason, regarding the condition, "activities established or 
approved by the UN", which Ozawa cited as a condition for 
dispatching SDF troops to be included in the permanent law, such 
"approved activities" would probably include participation in the 
International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF), which Ozawa is 
calling for. Refueling operations as stipulated under the new 
antiterror special measures law would also be included. But neither 
operation is directly based on a UN resolution, as a Defense 
Ministry source said. This could be a settlement line for both 
sides, which have made different assertions. 
 
Regarding the issue of making a UN resolution a condition for the 
dispatch of SDF personnel under the envisaged permanent law, noting, 
"There could be cases in which UN resolution cannot be adopted due 
 
TOKYO 00005112  005 OF 012 
 
 
to opposition by certain UNSC members." The LDP National Defense 
Division Subcommittee to Consider Defense Measures chaired by 
(current defense minister) Shigeru Ishiba in August 2006 drew up 
draft permanent legislation stipulating that SDF personnel could be 
dispatched without a UN resolution or a request from an 
international body if there is prior approval by the Diet. The panel 
adopted this because it wanted to ensure flexibility. 
 
(4) Questions about new refueling legislation: In interview, House 
of Representatives member Kenji Eda emphasizes the need to consider 
danger of having hand in military operations 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 24) (Full) 
November 4, 2007 
 
It is my understanding that unlike the Iraq war, the ongoing war on 
terror in Afghanistan is America's self-defense war in response to 
the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Japan 
has had a hand in fighting that war for the first time since the end 
of World War II, albeit in the area of logistical support. 
 
In order to provide refueling service, Japan deployed its warships 
(in the Indian Ocean). Fighting a war is impossible without 
logistics. Naturally, the enemy saw such a Japan as a country 
fighting together with the US forces. Japan insisted that it was 
engaged simply in logistical support and that it had deployed its 
ships in a non-combat zone, but what Japan did was the same as 
exercising the right to collective self-defense, which is not 
allowed under the government's conventional interpretation of the 
Constitution. 
 
After Prime Minister Koizumi, the government has strayed 
considerably from the previous administration's security policy and 
gradually accumulated a number of faits accomplis. I am highly 
concerned about such moves by the government. I've pursued 
allegations about a diversion of fuel provided by Japan for use in 
the Iraq war. 
 
If Japan continues to follow its current trend of blindly following 
the US, it would become possible for Japan to dispatch its 
Self-Defense Forces (SDF) across the world to have them engage in 
logistical support for the US. Consequently, Japan would risk 
becoming a country that faces war or acts of terrorism as a daily 
event. I want to ask the public whether that is a good thing. 
 
I think a dispatch of the SDF should be limited to logistical 
support based on a United Nations resolution. Although the UN is 
slow to make a decision, its decision reflects an objective 
consensus of the international community. If SDF troops are 
dispatched in line with a UN resolution, their deployment would be 
welcomed by other countries and Japan would not make many enemies. 
There is no country that launches war in the name aggression. In 
historical terms, it is absolutely dangerous to follow a country 
that launches war in the name of self-defense. 
 
Maritime interdiction operations (MIO) were started with the 
participation of 100 warships from 16 countries, but now only 17 
vessels from five countries are engaged in MIO. Participating 
countries are withdrawing from MIO one by one. Even if Japan follows 
those other countries and withdraws now after six years, no country 
will criticize Japan. 
 
 
TOKYO 00005112  006 OF 012 
 
 
In the current session of the Diet, the government has said "It is 
important to disclose information," but it has not made clear either 
the actual state of refueling services conducted by the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force (MSDF) or the results of the MIO. I wonder 
whether the government has something about which it feels guilty. 
Unless the government changes its current attitude, it is not 
qualified to enact new refueling legislation. 
 
Kenji Eda: Born in Okayama Prefecture, 1956; assumed in 1996 the 
post of secretary to Prime Minister Hashimoto after having been an 
official of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry 
(currently the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry); first elected 
as an independent lawmaker to the Diet in 2002; and remains 
independent to date. 
 
This summer, Eda, based on the US Navy's website, brought up 
suspicions about a diversion of fuel provided by the MSDF for use in 
the Iraq war. 
 
(5) Defense Ministry has copy of MSDF supply ship Towada's logbook 
for period it actively supplied fuel 
 
MAINICHI (Page 29) (Excerpts) 
November 4, 2007 
 
Logbooks of the Towada, a Maritime Self-Defense Force supply ship 
dispatched to the Indian Ocean, were mistakenly discarded, but 
copies of some of them have been kept at the Defense Ministry, 
sources said yesterday. They are kept for screening for information 
disclosure. Covering the period when refueling services were 
especially active, they might become valuable data revealing the 
part that has now become blank due to the lost documents. 
 
According to the Defense Ministry, the Towada's logbooks were 
discarded on July 26, 2007. Mistaking the four-year storage 
limitation for three years, two petty officers reportedly shredded 
the logbooks for the period between January 1998 and December 2003 
without obtaining the captain's approval. The ministry explained 
that they had destroyed them by mistake. 
 
Kept at the ministry are the copies of logbooks between December 
2001 when the refueling operation started under the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law and April 2002. The Maritime Staff Office 
Operations Assistance Division copied the originals and has been 
keeping them because requests were made repeatedly for information 
disclosure on the Towada's logbooks under the Freedom of Information 
Law. 
 
In the period up to April 2002, air strikes began and the Towada 
provided fuel oil most frequently to US warships taking part in the 
operation in Afghanistan. In the four months' period from December 
2001, the Towada provided a total of 119,000 kiloliters of fuel oil, 
or about one-fourth of the total amount provided in the refueling 
operation that ended at midnight, Nov. 2. 
 
The logbooks describe detailed conditions on the vessel inside and 
outside, such as when fuel was provided, the vessel's latitudes, 
longitudes, and courses and the names of vessels receiving oil. They 
are expected to provide leads to learn how the refueling operation 
was conducted. 
 
(6) Poll on Fukuda cabinet, political parties, Prime Minister 
 
TOKYO 00005112  007 OF 012 
 
 
Fukuda's coalition proposal to DPJ President Ozawa, Japan's calling 
off of MSDF refueling in Indian Ocean 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 5, 2007 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. Bracketed figures denote 
proportions to all respondents. Figures in parentheses denote the 
results of a survey conducted Oct. 13-14.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Fukuda cabinet? 
 
Yes 45 (47) 
No 34 (30) 
 
Q: Why? (One reason only. Left column for those marking "yes" on 
previous question, and right for those saying "no.") 
 
The prime minister is Mr. Fukuda 24(11) 5(2) 
It's an LDP-led cabinet 23(11) 41(14) 
From the aspect of policies 21(10) 39(13) 
No particular reason 28(12) 11(4) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 31 (32) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 24 (24) 
New Komeito (NK) 3 (3) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 2 (3) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1 (1) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0 (0) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 
Other political parties 1 (0) 
None 32 (30) 
No answer (N/A) + don't know (D/K) 6 (7) 
 
Q: Prime Minister Fukuda, in his meeting with DPJ President Ozawa, 
proposed holding talks for a coalition government of the LDP and the 
DPJ. The DPJ did not accept the proposal. Do you support Fukuda's 
proposal of a coalition government with the DPJ? 
 
Yes 36 
No 48 
 
Q: Do you support the DPJ's rejection of the proposal? 
 
Yes 53 
No 29 
 
Q: Do you think the House of Representatives should be dissolved as 
soon as possible for a general election, or do you otherwise think 
there is no need to do so? 
 
Dissolve as soon as possible 35 (32) 
No need to do so 57 (60) 
 
Q: The United States and other countries have sent their naval 
forces to the Indian Ocean in order to fight terrorist groups in 
Afghanistan. The Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, intended to 
back up their naval squadrons in the Indian Ocean, expired on Nov. 
1, and the Self-Defense Forces halted its activities there. Do you 
 
TOKYO 00005112  008 OF 012 
 
 
think the SDF's activities should be resumed there? 
 
Yes 43 
No 41 
 
Q: The government has now presented a new legislative measure to the 
Diet instead of extending the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, 
and the Diet is now deliberating on the new legislation. This bill 
limits SDF activities in the Indian Ocean to fuel and water supply. 
It also sets the duration of SDF activities there at one year and 
does not require the government to ask the Diet for its approval of 
SDF activities there. Do you support this legislation? 
 
Yes 35 
No 43 
 
Q: Do you think Japan's calling off of SDF activities in the Indian 
Ocean will have a negative impact on Japan's international place? 
 
Yes 50 
No 37 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Nov. 3-4 over the 
telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. 
Respondents were chosen from among the nation's voting population on 
a three-stage random-sampling basis. Valid answers were obtained 
from 2,088 persons (59 PERCENT ). 
 
(7) Poll on reading habits 
 
MAINICHI (Page 14) (Full) 
October 26, 2007 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T=total; M=male, F=female) 
 
Q: Do you like reading magazines? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 48 44 51 
No 6 8 4 
Neither yes nor no 45 46 43 
 
Q: When do you usually read magazines? (Pick as many as you like.) 
 
 T M F 
Home 75 71 79 
Toilet 8 11 5 
On my way to office or school 9 13 5 
Lunch, break time 15 18 12 
At work, school 3 5 1 
While eating 2 3 2 
While waiting at hospital, store 39 31 47 
Bookstore, convenience store 27 30 25 
 
Q: Do you have more opportunities to buy magazines, or do you have 
fewer opportunities to do so? 
 
 T M F 
More 8 7 8 
Fewer 48 46 49 
No change 41 43 39 
 
TOKYO 00005112  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "fewer") Why? 
 
 T M F 
There are no magazines or articles that I want to read 19 21 17 
It's hard to get magazines that I want to read 2 2 1 
TV, Internet are more fun 12 14 11 
Information is faster, richer on Internet 14 19 10 
No money to buy 9 10 9 
Eyes get tired 16 14 18 
Too busy 26 18 32 
 
Q: Young people are said to be weak in their Japanese language 
proficiency, such as reading and writing kanji characters, and 
wording. What do you think about this? 
 
 T M F 
Unfavorable 75 72 77 
Don't care 17 19 15 
Don't think they are weak 5 6 5 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "unfavorable") Why? 
 
 T M F 
They can't communicate well with elders 13 13 14 
The Japanese language's culture is not inherited 25 25 25 
The Japanese people's intellectual level goes down 26 29 23 
Young people become simple in their sentiment, thought 18 17 19 
Young people cannot express themselves well 16 14 17 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "don't care") Why? 
 
 T M F 
Language is living, so it's strange to compare them with elders 37 
44 29 
Not only the Japanese language is important in the age of 
internationalization 11 10 11 
It's all right if they improve with age 37 34 40 
The Japanese language is too complicated 9 7 12 
Information media development can make up for the weakening of 
Japanese language proficiency 4 2 6 
 
Q: Do you think young people's tendency not to read causes their 
Japanese language proficiency to weaken? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 77 75 79 
No 19 22 17 
 
Q: Do you feel a lack of Japanese language proficiency? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 79 78 80 
No 18 20 16 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes") What do you feel is lacking? 
(Pick as many as you like.) 
 
 T M F 
Reading skills 31 31 31 
Writing skills 71 70 71 
Talking skills 37 37 37 
 
TOKYO 00005112  010 OF 012 
 
 
Modest, honorific words 41 39 42 
Expressiveness 43 41 46 
Knowledge of kanji characters 62 64 61 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no") Why? (Pick as many as you 
like.) 
 
 T M F 
Don't read books 40 42 38 
Read only easy books, magazines 22 21 23 
Don't care about it when talking to others 14 13 15 
Usually watch TV 32 31 32 
Didn't study very much 27 29 26 
Don't write very much 58 57 58 
Use PC or cellphone when writing 42 44 40 
 
Q: Do you think audiovisual media like multichannel TV broadcasts 
and DVDs have something to do with the tendency of not reading 
books? 
 
 T M F 
Very much 45 46 43 
Somewhat 42 40 44 
Not very much 8 9 8 
Not at all 2 2 1 
 
Q: Do you think the spread of the Internet and cellphones have 
something to do with the tendency of not reading books? 
 
 T M F 
Very much 49 50 48 
Somewhat 37 36 39 
Not very much 9 9 8 
Not at all 2 2 2 
 
Q: Have you ever bought or used any of the books listed below? (Pick 
as many as you like.) 
 
 T M F 
Brain-training drill 28 25 30 
Numbers panel, calculation book 25 22 27 
Coloring notebook 5 3 7 
Transcribing book for classics 6 6 7 
 
Q: There are now novels released on cellphone websites. Have you 
ever seen a cellphone novel? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 14 10 18 
No 74 79 70 
Don't know 9 9 9 
 
Q: Have you ever read a cellphone novel? (Pick as many as you 
like.) 
 
 T M F 
Read on a cellphone 5 4 7 
Read on a book 7 4 10 
Not read 85 90 82 
 
Q: What's your image of cellphone novels? (Pick as many as you 
like.) 
 
TOKYO 00005112  011 OF 012 
 
 
 
 T M F 
Easy to read 8 6 11 
Empathic 4 3 5 
Excellent 1 1 1 
Newsy 22 20 23 
Hard to read 29 33 26 
Only some people read 28 26 30 
No depth 13 13 14 
Not good for education 8 8 8 
 
Q: Do you have an Internet cellphone? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 52 54 50 
No 43 40 45 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes") Have you ever read a novel or 
comic on a cellphone? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 15 10 19 
No 84 88 79 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes") What do you read? (Pick as 
many as you like.) 
 
 T M F 
Novels in the news 58 47 63 
Famous novels or classics 11 11 11 
Comic 52 64 46 
 
Q: Do you read blogs or diaries on the Internet? 
 
 T M F 
Read often 6 5 8 
Read sometimes 19 21 16 
Don't read at all 69 68 70 
 
Q: Have you ever put your own novel, diary, or essay on your website 
or blog? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 8 8 8 
No 86 87 86 
 
Q: Would you like to do so in the future? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 9 9 8 
No 85 85 85 
 
Q: Have you ever published your own novel, haiku or tanka poem, 
memoirs, and the like on your account, or have you ever thought to 
do so? 
 
 T M F 
Ever published 1 1 0 
Ever thought 3 3 2 
No 92 92 92 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "ever published" or "ever thought") 
 
TOKYO 00005112  012 OF 012 
 
 
Would you like to do so in the future? 
 
 T M F 
Yes 4 5 4 
No 86 85 86 
 
(Note) Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. "0" indicates that 
the figure was below 0.5 PERCENT . "No answer" omitted. Multiple 
answers total over 100 PERCENT . 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Sept. 7-9 on a 
door-to-door visit basis. For the survey, a total of 4,800 persons 
were chosen from among males and females aged 16 and over (as of 
Sept. 30) across the nation on a stratified two-stage random 
sampling basis. Answers were obtained from 2,685 persons (56 PERCENT 
). In the breakdown of respondents, males accounted for 47 PERCENT , 
females at 53 PERCENT . Broken down into age brackets, those in 
their late teens (aged 16-19) accounted for 5 PERCENT , those in 
their 20s at 10 PERCENT , those in their 30s at 17 PERCENT , those 
in their 40s at 16 PERCENT , those in their 50s at 19 PERCENT , 
those in their 60s at 17 PERCENT , those aged 70 and over at 16 
PERCENT . 
 
SCHIEFFER